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Canada Invests in a Greener Vancouver

News release

In communities across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change and want to be part of the solution. By investing in new technologies and projects that reduce pollution and make our communities more resilient to climate change, we can also create jobs, make life more affordable for families and businesses and help Canadian companies compete and win in the new global low-carbon economy.

August 29, 2019 Vancouver, British Columbia Natural Resources Canada

In communities across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change and want to be part of the solution. By investing in new technologies and projects that reduce pollution and make our communities more resilient to climate change, we can also create jobs, make life more affordable for families and businesses and help Canadian companies compete and win in the new global low-carbon economy.

The Honourable Joyce Murray, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $22-million investment for the City of Vancouver to establish an urban climate centre in Vancouver. This investment will support energy efficiency improvements in homes and buildings, including affordable housing developments.

The city will operate one of seven new Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) urban climate centres across Canada that are helping to bridge the commercialization gap and reduce the business risk of developing tomorrow’s low-carbon technologies and innovations.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal FundTM will serve as the national office hub for the LC3. Announced in Budget 2019, LC3 is part of Canada’s $1.01-billion plan to make communities more energy-efficient. It will use federal investments to work with private investors, public agencies, utilities, non-profit organizations and other levels of government to build long-term, low-carbon solutions.

Canada’s energy efficiency sector supported 436,000 jobs in 2018, and this number is expected to grow by 8.3 percent this year alone. Investments like these are helping this sector grow faster, creating a better future for Canadians.

Through the national Generation Energy dialogue, we heard Canadians want our country to remain a leader in the transition to a clean growth economy. To support this goal and achieve Canada’s climate commitments, Canada is investing over $60 billion in clean energy projects, public transit, reducing pollution and improving energy efficiency in homes and businesses across the country.

Quotes

“Vancouver has always been at the leading edge of building sustainable cities, and today’s investment in low-carbon solutions is another step forward for our community that will help fight climate change, create jobs and make life more affordable.”

- The Honourable Joyce MurrayPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government

“We already see our cities leading the way on low-carbon innovation, and this investment will unlock so much potential to go further — to build cost-saving energy solutions that build better lives for Canadians.”

- Bill Karsten President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

“Vancouver City Council has joined cities around the world in declaring a Climate Emergency to scale up climate action and limit warming to 1.5°C. This funding investment and our leadership to develop the Centre will help to develop and share new local solutions and best practices to reduce carbon emissions from buildings, which is a key priority of our climate action response.”